Setting Up a Project Folder

Before using programs like Pro Tools, Audacity, Final Cut Pro, or Adobe Dreamweaver, it is important to create a project folder for your files. Unlike Microsoft Word and PowerPoint (where you can drag media into the document and it imbeds itself for easy distribution), many professional editing programs require that you to keep your original media close by or "linked" until the final export takes place.

Here is a simple guide to help make sure your projects files remain orgranaized and usable.

Step One: Create a Project Folder on the Desktop

You can do this by right-clicking your desktop and choosing "New Folder" from the drop-down menu (This works on both Mac and Windows).

Immediately, a new folder will pop up on the screen.

Step Two: Rename your "New Folder" so you can easily identify it.

To do this: right-click the unnamed folder and left-click the rename option. Type in a new name (Example: “Your Last Name - Project Title"). Once renamed, it should look somthing like this:

Note: You will be saving your ProTools (.ptf) or Final Cut (.fcp) session into this folder.

Step Three: Once you rename your folder, double left-click to view the contents.

Step Four: Create a new folder for each type of media your project will contain. Typically these new folders are labeled “Images”, “Audio", and “Video".

Step Five: Place all of the music files, images and videos you anticipate using for this project into their respective folders.

Final Step: When you are finished working, you can move the Project Folder onto your external Hard Drive and delete the desktop version. Subsequently, when you start working on your project again, you can move your files from the Hard Drive back onto the desktop.

Did You Know?

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